Activities / Build
Cardboard marble run
Turn a box lid and a few paper tubes into a track with drops, turns and a finish cup.
- Ages5+
- Time30 to 45 minutes
- A grown-up helps withCutting cardboard tubes
How to make it
- Lean the cardboard against a wall or a chair so it stands at a slope.
- Ask a grown-up to cut each tube in half the long way. Now you have open ramps.
- Tape the first ramp near the top, tilted a little downhill.
- Tape the next ramp under the low end of the first, tilted the other way. Keep going to the bottom.
- Tape the cup under the last ramp. Drop the marble in at the top and watch where it gets stuck. Move ramps until it makes it all the way.
Why it works
The marble speeds up as it rolls downhill because gravity pulls it. A steep ramp makes it fast, a gentle ramp slows it down. Fixing the spots where it falls off is what engineers call testing.
Try next
- Time one run. Can you make the marble take longer to finish?
- Add a tunnel from a whole tube.
Safety note. Marbles are a choking risk. This one is not for children under 3, and keep marbles away from younger brothers and sisters. A grown-up should be nearby for the whole activity.
Watch it
The video for this activity is on its way. It will be on our YouTube channel first.
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